A Simple Man
by Malinda4242
Summary: Spoiler Alert Possible happenings in first eppi's alluded to. Bosco receives something he never expected to have again after such a tragic time in his life, hope, from a completely unexpected source. Enjoy! M.


I thought I'd skip over the 'upcoming' events of the first couple of episodes. Those have been done and redone, lol Instead I thought I'd add my version of how Bosco comes to eventually fight for his life back,the spark so to speak that would bring him around to wanting to do more than just 'exist' in a damaged body. Memories sometimes are our greatest treasure besides our families, and even in the darkest moments in the most messed up families and lives, there is sometimes one special person that is sent to keep us in touch with how special we are. Even if its a forgotten soul, or perhaps not so much forgotten, as unremembered until now. He spoke last season of his Grandparents...however briefly, I embellished on one of them.

The song used is an older version of ShineDowns Simple Man from 1973. I don't own either version. lol I only own Nana and Grandpapa and of course Chee Chee! I had to take out the 'lyrics' because of site policy...so you must find the song and insert the 'lyrics' as you read yourself.

Enjoy, M.

**A Simple Man**

""" "Nana! Nana! Come see quick!" Mikey ran up the wooden steps of the old house as it sat ancient on the banks of the river in Upstate New York, "Moe caught a snake!"

"Michael Boscorelli," the woman laughed as she opened the screen door to intercept her muddy grandson before he launched himself across her just mopped wooden floors, "what in the world are you yelling about?"

"Nana," Mikey excited beyond incoherence even for an 7 year old, eyes huge, grabbed her hand in both of his, tugging her across the porch, "a nake! Moe caught one!" his little voice deepening with awe, "AND ITS BIG!" Finding himself at a dead stop suddenly, and in the strong but gentle grip of his grandmother, Mikey looked up with his brown eyes wider still, a small whine inserting itself as he stressed his point, "But NANA, its gonna get away!"

'Nana', as the boys called her gave Mikey a slight shake, attempting to remain calm she asked carefully, "Mikey, where is Maurice? Did the snake bite him?" Holding onto the 7 year old who was covered in slick gray mud was difficult, as Mikey squirmed trying to both escape and make sure she came with him.

"He's down by the creek," pointing his small finger towards the grove of trees at the end of the yard, "and he said to hurry up," sudden 'remembrance etched on his eager face, "he needs you to bring a jar too!" Grinning up at her, "I almost forgot, but I remembered, Moe needs a jar Nana, to put the snake in!"

"Oh lord," Maureen Ryan Orrechetti released Mikey, "no, we don't need a jar Michael, just lead me to My Wild Thing Boy." Mikey grabbed her hand again, and they ran across the green grass covered yard together, "That boy's gonna be the death of me yet!"

Emerging from the trees onto a grassy area near a small quick running creek, Maureen spotted her eldest grandson squatting down near the water, staring at something in his hands. Trying not to scare him into getting bit, if indeed it were a snake he'd caught and not a 'larger than life worm' she stopped Mikey from running up, and asked carefully, "Maurice? What is it Michael's so excited about that you want me to see?"

His face shining with pride Maurice turned to her, "Look Nana!" Standing up carefully, he was gripping with both hands one of the largest snakes she'd ever seen out here. Feeling her heart constrict, and her blood rush from her head, she quietly told him, "Maurice, wow, baby, that's a really big snake. But I think it'd be best sweetheart if you let it go now. Just let me take it, okay? We'll let it go in the water."

How at 9 years old, as small as he and Mikey were he'd caught that monster she didn't even want to contemplate, she just knew she had to make sure he didn't end up in the ER this trip. Somehow though, with the sudden onset of his 'stubborn as a mule' face, Maureen knew it would not be easy to convince him to do as she asked.

"But Nana!" Maurice frowned, his dipping brows showing early his future fierceness over his will being thwarted, "I caught it for YOU!" A quick glance at Mikey, his frown deepening to a scowl and he was off, "Mikey! I said bring a jar, how's Nana pose to keep it in her room if it don't have a place to stay?"

"Son of a bitch! Maurice Louis Boscorelli that muther isn't coming in my damn house much less my freaking..." Maureen swore loudly, then checked herself as Mikey burst out with giggles and Maurice's mouth fell open, "I mean, thank you Maurice, but no thank you. Snakes don't live in houses, we need to let this one go, now." Her fiery temper bursting out before she could stop it, really this child was so difficult sometimes!

"NANA!" Maurice gaped at her, "You cursed!" Forgetting his 'gift' as Mikey's giggles increased, Maurice started laughing, "I'm gonna tell Grandpapa! You're gonna get grounded!" The snake, beginning to struggle in his hands, arched its spine as its head came up towards his face.

"MAURICE, DROP THAT GOT DAMN SNAKE, NOW!" Maureen screeched lunging forward, slapping it away from his laughing mouth, before it could make contact. Startled into dropping the snake, he stepped back quickly thinking she was after him instead of his prize catch, a quick released breath of relief and she was turning away from watching it race away, to make a grab for him.

Maurice having dropped the snake in shock, let out his own shriek as she snatched him bodily up and out of the way, "NOOOOOOO! NANA! IT'S GETTING AWAY!" The black snake making a quick retreat into the river as Maurice developed a serious pout and tried to escape her grip.

"Yea?" She fumed, him tucked under one arm as she snatched Mikey's hinney up in the other arm, heading back to the house, "Let it." Both boys protesting loudly as she hauled them quickly back through the trees, reaching the other side before she set them on their feet, all three now covered in wet cold gray mud.

Maurice jerked away, "Nana, you made me lose my snake! I caught that for you to keep for a pet! You like pets!" Hands on his waist he stood feet apart glaring up at her, his usual good humor gone, "I'm mad at you!"

Mikey stood watching the oncoming battle with a huge amount of interest, Moe had never won a battle with Nana before, and if he won this one, it could pose a whole new rule in this house.

No such luck.

Narrowing her eyes, a mirror image of her grandson, dark blue eyes and near black curly hair its red highlights shining in the morning sunlight included, she leaned down to him, "Maurice Louis, get your hindend in that house. I told you last week about trying to catch wild things, you Wild Thing Boy! If that snake was poisonous you and Michael could have been killed! How would your Grandpapa and Ma and Dada feel if that had happened?"

Eyeball to eyeball nearly, they glared at one another, until Maurice thought about it a moment, then one eyebrow raising, chewing on his cheek a moment he reconsidered as he asked, "They'd be mad at YOU, not me?" Blinking a couple of times as she nodded without answering, he added, "You're gonna tell on me?" A slight smirk slipping across his mouth as she shook her head, again not answering, "It was a cool snake, huh Nana."

"The coolest Maurice," her smirk echoing his now that the danger was over, "now, go take a bath. You stink of river mud, you and Michael are going to help me make cookies after lunch, and I don't like smelly cookies." Swatting his behind as he laughed outloud she watched him take off for the house, Mikey on his heels.

"Boy's gonna be the reason I get gray hair," Maureen chuckled as she followed them inside, calling out, "TAKE THOSE DAMN MUDDY TENNIES OFF YOU MUDPUPPIES!"

Both boys skidded to a stop at the doorway, sitting down quickly to pull the offensive footwear off, Mikey watching Moe in awe, "Moe, you didn't even get punished!" Chancing a quick glance at Maureen as she stopped to pet the cat that ran up, "Nana was Mad too!"

"Naaa," Maurice very seriously commented, yanking his foot up nearly to his shoulder to pull off his tennis rather than untie it, "when Nana's mad I can't make her smile. And Nana's hardly ever mad at me Mikey, or you. She only gets mad at Daddy, or Grandpapa Louis when they get drunk." Tossing his shoe aside, to remove the other one, he was smirking.

"Ohhh," Mikey looked at Moe with a whole new respect, "How do you know?" Pulling his socks off as Maureen called out, "Don't even think about it Maurice! No muddy wet socks either on that floor, Michael, I just mopped!"

"Easy," Moe, quickly doing as she asked jumped to his feet, grabbing the screen door and tugging it open, "I watched her lots of times. You'll learn how women are Mikey when you get big like me." Holding the door open to let his little brother in they headed to take their baths before lunch. Something they only needed to do here in the their favorite place to be, Nana's house on the river. """

"Hey Baby," Rose Boscorelli walked into Bosco's hospital room, "You're up!" A smile on her face she approached him as he sat in the wheelchair staring out of the window, "I was looking for that blanket I was telling you I had, you know, to cover your legs?" A slight nod from him as his memories faded, "I did find this one though." Giving a light laugh she tossed out a soft looking quilted blanket, its greens and blues muted with age and many washings, the throw sized blanket sparked a quick fleeting memory in him. Eyes flickering with the half recognized memory he looked up at her again.

"Mom?" Voice strong but slurred as his jaw was still wired from the gunshot injury and subsequent surgery to repair the damage, "This is..." Fingering the cloth as it settled down on his legs, Bosco found himself smiling but not knowing why.

"Yours Maurice, Nana made it for you when you were 5," Rose's smile sad now, "I thought when I saw it you might like it better than that other one I was looking for. Besides, look at the other side." Grinning at him she pulled the edge up to show him, hearing him give a quick chuckle as he spotted the images imprinted on the opposite quilting, "Tasmanian Devil. That's what she called you, that and Her Wild Thing Boy. Do you remember that?"

Slowly shaking his head no, he shrugged, "Funny, I don't remember much about her, or Grandpapa, but, I was just remembering something before you came in." Stopping he sighed, "Probably didn't happen, just a kids memory, jumbled up." Rose didn't push him, though her eyes grew shadowed as if she wanted to ask what he'd remembered, but decided not to this time.

"Well," she threw off the shadows, a brighter smile gracing her face, "that's a coincidence isn't it?" Seeing his slow nod, when he looked down fingers still rubbing the soft material, she quickly drew something out of her purse, holding it out to him, "Baby, I have something for you." A questioning look in his eyes bringing a deepening of the furrows his brow had developed over the last few years as she held an envelope out to him. Her own eyes hesitantly unsure as she watched him take it from her, "Maurice, I didn't know this was in that box until today. I debated all the way back here on whether I should give it to you now, or wait." As he glanced up at her before pulling his hand back, the envelope gripped carefully, she gave another half smile, "I think you should have it now. With everything that's happened, Mikey...anyway, well, you thinking that you're life is a waste, I thought since Faith and I can't get through to you..." Standing straight she put her hand out to touch his undamaged cheek, "Maybe my Mother can." When he gave her a startled look, she nodded, "Yea, Baby, I read some of it. It only had your name on the outside, I thought maybe it was something I'd put in the box myself and forgotten about. When I saw what it was, I knew I had to bring it here, for you to read."

Picking up her purse again, Rose headed to the door, "Read it Maurice, I don't know for sure when she wrote it, but I read the first paragraph, and I think maybe there was a reason it was lost until now."

Before he could stop her, Rose had closed the door to his room, and was gone. Bosco stared down at the unfamiliar handwriting staring up at him from his lap, the envelope yellowed in places by age, a small tear on its bottom left corner ragged feeling in his fingers as he turned it over to pull the folded pages from inside it.

A small picture fell out to land face up in his lap, the smiling faces of his Nana, Mikey, Chee Chee the wild cat and himself sparking a sudden flash in his mind and then he was 9 again, the same day he'd just remembered, or thought he'd remembered...

""" "Nana?" the smell of cookie dough baking in the oven filling the air, flour covering Mikey from head to toe, dusting the entirety of the kitchen table as Maurice glanced up while leaning over to place another blob of the sweet chocolate chip dough onto a cookie sheet.

"Yes sweetheart," Maureen turning from the oven, placed the hot cookie sheets onto the ceramic countertop before pulling off her mitts to take another just filled sheet and place it in the hot oven, "you have a question?" Wrinkling her nose at Mikey as he popped another blob of dough into his mouth, she leaned down and rubbed his white floured nose with hers, "Don't eat all the raw ones Michael, or you'll get sick and there will be NO cookies for you after Supper tonight!" A silly faced giggle from Mikey and she was putting the sheet into the oven and closing the door.

"Yea Mikey," Maurice wisely remarked, "don't be a pig! Save some for Grandpapa!" Scooping another mound of dough, he asked his question as if uninterrupted, smudging flour across his hair as he scratched an itch from earlier, "Do snakes eat cats?"

"Well," she mused as she began to remove the hot cookies with a spatula, placing them on a cooling rack, "I suppose some might, if they were large enough. Why?"

"Just wondering's all," Maurice sounding older than his tender 9 years old gave Mikey a hard look as he saw him about to answer, and found it was too late when Mikey added his two cents.

"Moe wanted to feed Chee Chee to the snake, Nana," Mikey smirked at Moe knowing he was gonna get it for sure now, "cause Chee Chee scratched him when he pulled her tail last night."

"MIKEY SHUT UP!" Maurice tried both to scowl at his rat fink brother and give Nana an innocent look, giving him a comedic look that she was hard pressed not to giggle at, "Nana that's not true!" Turning his head slightly he mouthed, "You're gonna get it!" at Mikey as he showed him his 'hidden' fist alongside the table, he 'innocently' stated, "I wouldn't feed Chee Chee to a snake." Narrowing his dark blue eyes at Mikey he dared him 'big brother' style to contradict him. Mikey wisely after glancing at his grandmothers face decided that maybe he needed another raw cookie and filled his mouth with one.

Trying not to laugh, Maureen schooled her face to serious as she rounded the table to start mixing another batch of dough, voice seriously light she carefully commented, while pouring sugar into the bowl, "My goodness Maurice, I would hope not. Besides, Chee Chee would most likely kill the snake anyway. She does that you know." A twinkle to her dark blue eyes, she lowered her voice to conspirators level, "She's a real snake killer that Wild Chee Chee is."

"She does?" Maurice and Mikey were frozen in awe as she nodded, "Really?" Maurice began to frown again, sensing his leg might be being yanked on, "How do you know?" Doubt dripping from him, while Mikey leaned over, knowing this was going to be a good Nana and Chee Chee story.

"Well," Nana gave a slightly wicked grin to them both, "see it was like this. I was hanging out some sheets a few weekends before you boys came up, and..." """

The memory broken as suddenly as it'd started when the loudspeaker in the hospitals hallway rang out a request for a Doctor's presence, Bosco slowly opened the papers that lay folded in his lap. The coincidence of his newly found memories, and his Mothers finding of the childhood blanket, combined with this 'lost' letter with his name on it bringing a chill to him. As he flattened the pages out, her words seemed to lift themselves from the scented paper, stirring her long forgotten voice up in his head as he began to read.

A Simple Man,

My dear sweetheart of a grandson, that's all I ask of you. All I want for you to become, is a Simple Man.

Bosco was lost then, as he could hear a radio in the background, one of the nurses on his wing tuning into a song, made popular years ago, renewed by the soulful singing of a new group's lead singer. Only the voice he heard wasn't the one mournfully coming from the radio, the sweet deep voice he heard was his Nana's, singing to him as they sat in the swing on the porch after supper that night. A warm breeze blowing the curtains in the livingroom window around, sound of the chains on the swing creaking, as crickets sounded out the temperature. She'd put Mikey down already, having rocked him to sleep, Bosco being too 'old' for such things sat beside her instead. Allowed to stay up longer, he found himself leaning against her arm, an arm she slipped around him, smiling down at him as she sang to the radio, changing the words slightly to fit her idea of how it should go.

Maurice grinned up at her, he loved it when she did this to a song, made it 'theirs'. His memories vividly sharp now, he knew he really was remembering as he read her loving words to him.

There are things that will come in your life, that you will not be able to make better. Not even that damn stubborn streak you get from me will help. Just remember love, life can only break you if you let it. Don't ever let it Maurice Louis Boscorelli.

I was there the day you came into this world. Your Dada away finding work, your Mama so young, so beautiful, my own sweet child. Hours passed, then there you were pale skinned like me, hair so black it looked like a Ravens, and those deep blue eyes, opening like you already knew everything there was to know. I was privileged to hold you first in my arms Maurice, and that's how you got your name. Of course I wouldn't have let them name you Maureen, (your father would have had a stroke!) But when family tradition comes into play, well in this family anyway, we had to think of something, so, Maurice it was. I know you don't like that name, but I love it. And I'm honored you carry something of me besides that curly hair you hate so, and that pale skin and blue eyes. Guess if you were going to look like me, you should know where your name came from, right?

His hands shaking as he paused in his reading to look out the window again, Bosco found himself with a feeling of connection he'd thought never to feel again. Memories flooded back onto him now, as he captured bits and pieces of his childhood floating past. Nana and Grandpapa playing catch with he and Mikey in the wide backyard. Fishing with his Grandpapa along the same creek and river where he'd caught that snake, and many a frog and salamander. Until this moment, he'd thought the memory of the snake to be a boy's fantasy, something made larger by youthful exuberance and time.

"My God," he breathed out slowly, "if she hadn't been there..." Realization of just what had happened that morning so long ago, and how calm his Grandmother had handled it gave him a sensation of wonder, "Damn Nana, I would have probably freaked out!" Giving a silent word of thanks to her, he went back to reading, the song drifting back into his mind as he did so.

Every Summer, since you were 4, and we moved here, your Mama and Dada have brought you here to stay with your Grandpapa and me for a month. I have treasured every moment of that time my precious Wild Thing Boy. You and Mikey are the most precious people in my life. Both of you so special, each in your own way. Always remember that Maurice, Nana loves you very much, and nothing can ever change that. Not the space that separates us, not your growing up and going to school, not even death. Just call and I'll always be there to help you through whatever life brings your way. Celebrate your good times and hold you in your bad. Don't ever let go of your spirit Maurice, a spirit of love and trust and such a sense of right and wrong that it will probably bring you as much grief as it does joy. Such is a good man's treasure and burden my love. Bear it proudly, I know few men who are as good a soul as you are, Maurice. And remember, be a simple kind of man. Don't look for the complicated things in life, they won't bring you what you want, or need.

Her voice rising, she sang softly to him, as she pulled him close, Maurice studied her face, seeing the seriousness in her eyes, and the unconditional love. Sitting in his hospital room now, Bosco felt it as if she were right there with him, and slowly he felt his spirit begin to heal.

Every night, before I close my eyes, I say a prayer for you and for Michael. I ask God to watch over you himself, not to send his angels, but to do the job himself. I will probably get in trouble for that one my dear grandson, but it will be worth it if he can manage it. Then, I pray for your Mama and Dada, and I ask God to make their love stronger. I guess by the time you're old enough to read this, you will know things are not the way they try to make them seem. I pray for them, but I see no real changes, I guess it takes more than one Mother's prayers to fix what's wrong with my daughter and son in law. But I keep up the hope that they can repair this thing that is broken between them. Try not to judge them to harshly Maurice, I sense that about you already you know, you are a harsh judge, of yourself as well as others. You can only love them as much as they allow it, and no more, and yourself also. A simple man in a complicated world survives best dear child if he loves as deeply as he can, remember that. When you decide to marry, give her all of yourself my love, hold nothing back, and make her and your children the most important possessions you have. Love them as I love you, and as your Mother and Father love you. Never forget God gave them to you, and he entrusts them to you. It is a great responsibility he will lay on your shoulders one day with a family. Do him and your loving Nana proud my baby.

Bosco felt warm tears falling, saw them splatting down on the paper, the old ink smearing slightly as he saw his Grandmothers disillusion in her words for her daughter's marriage, and the hope she held that it would get better. That his own possible marriage would be better. For the first time he was glad she'd not lived to see what happened, then it occurred to him that had she lived, his life might have been much different growing up. Swiping away the tears, he returned to the pages, memories warm and filled with laughter and fun again.

Be happy, my sweetheart. Be generous, and loving, and kind. Those are the things I see in you now (well as long as you're not trying to feed Chee Chee to snakes that is, my goodness Maurice what is it about you and that cat that just can't get along? I'm teasing you of course, I bet you don't even remember that Cat and the snake by now) and the things I know will always remain with you, unless YOU let someone take them away from you. Remember by sweet Grandson, only you can let them break you, only you can stand back up when you fall, and only you can decide to live a life of happiness, a life filled with grace. Find out who you are sweetheart, and never look back without laughter and love sprinkled in your memories. Life is too short for bitterness and hate. You're so strong my sweet grandson, don't ever give up, no matter what, because you Maurice, You will always be my Wild Thing Boy, and we know he never gave up! (though he did almost end up with no supper a few times!)

I love you Maurice Louis Boscorelli, don't you EVER forget that!

Your loving Nana

October 18, 1980

Seeing the date on the letter, Bosco came to the realization finally that his Nana who'd loved him so much, had died along with his Grandpapa in a car wreck the same day she'd written this to him. A sense of awe swept over him at how close he'd come to never being able to read these words from someone who obviously thought so much of him, had loved him so unconditionally as she had, had she waited to write them until after the trip to the store, they'd never exist at all. Then it occurred to him that had he given up like he'd wanted to when he first woke from the coma, unable to do more than simply exist, as he wanted to even up until the first memory slipped into his mind only moments before Rose had placed the letter in his hands they still would not have been known to him.

The words she spoke individually to himself and Mikey, everytime she saw he and Mikey, and everytime they were put to bed, woke up in the morning and when they left her house to return to the city at the end of visits rang through the room, her voice smiling to him, "You're my Wild Thing Boy, Maurice and I love you so!"

Rose walked back into the room a short time later, to see him sitting with a smile gracing his face as he looked out the window, cautiously approaching him she moved around until he noticed her, "Maurice? Are you okay?" Her heart easing as he looked up at her, a radiant smile again in its proper place on his face.

"Yea," his smile softening, "I'm fine Mom, how come you never told me I was named for Nana? And did you know Chee Chee was a snake killer?" As Rose pulled up a chair to sit beside him, puzzled by his last comment he added, "I was going to feed her to a big snake I caught, but Nana made me throw it back before I could do it. Good thing she did too, it was about to bite me."

Blinking at him, Rose exclaimed, "Well thank God for Nana!"

"Yea," he turned to her again, "I do, Mom, now, I sure do. I think I'll call that Physical Therapist Dr. Morgan was talking about, maybe see her today if she's got an appointment."

Rose smiled as she leaned over to stroke his cheek, "I think that's a fine idea baby."

Silently adding, 'Thank you Mother.'

A silent breeze slipping into the room from the open window, answering her as it lifted the papers lying in Bosco's lap slipping them aside, the smiling faces in the picture echoing the laughter of that long ago day.

The End


End file.
